12+ School Lunch Ideas that are healthy, kid-friendly and perfect for picky eaters. Tons of ideas for nut-free, dairy-free, sugar free, Whole30, paleo, low carb, keto and gluten free options. Lots of options for no cooking, no heating or microwave needed!
Pin for later and follow my Meal Prep / Healthy Lunchbox Board for more lunch ideas!
Updated August 2019
It’s that time of year again – back to school season is upon us! I know many schools have their first day back at school in August but around here, classes begin in September, the day after Labor Day.
This year, my oldest is heading into the third grade and my youngest into kindergarten and they both couldn’t be more excited. I feel like every summer flies by quicker and quicker and I’m definitely going to be missing the slower mornings.
If you’re already back to your regular school routine again, you’re probably faced with that daily question of what to pack in school lunches. Packing lunches can always be a challenge and here are some healthy lunch ideas to get you started.
FOR MORE HEALTHY SCHOOL LUNCH IDEAS , BE SURE TO ALSO CHECK OUT THESE SCHOOL LUNCH POSTS:
Healthy School Lunches for the New Year
5 School Lunch Ideas for Picky Eaters
Keto Lunches for Work or School
Most parents struggle with trying to balance nutritious choices with what your child will actually eat. Staying organized by planning ahead and having a variety of fresh, fun and healthy ideas helps make life easier with school lunches.
It’s the best feeling to open that lunchbox at the end of the day and see that your kids love everything that you packed.
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HELPFUL TIPS WHEN PACKING SCHOOL LUNCHES
PLAN AHEAD
Make back to school lunches ahead of time at night and portion off any dried snacks that keep well on Sundays for the rest of the week.
MIX IT UP
Include a variety so your child doesn’t get bored. Switch things up and pair different snacks, fruits, carbs and protein. Leftovers like muffins, pasta salads or chilled sesame noodles are some great choices for school lunch ideas for kindergarten and high school.
GRANOLA BAR RECIPES:
- Healthy Homemade Granola Bars -12 Ways
- Pumpkin Cashew Butter Granola Bars
- 5 Ingredient Granola Bars
- Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips Granola Bars
- No-Bake Granola Bars with Almond & Cranberry
- Chewy No-Bake Peanut Butter and Jelly Granola Bars
BREAKFAST COOKIE RECIPES
Healthy Breakfast Cookies – 12 Ways
Zucchini Breakfast Cookies (Flourless)
ENERGY BITE RECIPES
KEEP THINGS FUN WITH SOME DIY “LUNCHABLES”
Allow your child to put together their own DIY pizzas or wraps with dips and sauces to make things interesting.
Yogurt, hummus, guacamole and salsa are great for adding flavor to vegetables and fruit.
FOOD SAFETY
Many items will keep at room temperature but be aware of which will require an ice pack to stay cool. Also make sure that you are aware of any peanut or other food restrictions that the school might have in place. I’ve included many nut-free lunches and included notes for substitutions.
KEEP FOOD SEPARATE WITH A LUNCH BOX WITH DIVIDED COMPARTMENTS
Having a lunchbox with separate compartments and / or liners will help you remember to include all the components of a balanced meal.
Here are a few of my favorites:
PlanetBox – 5 Compartments
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12 School Lunch Ideas
I’ve included these easy and kid-friendly school lunch recipes, tips and tricks below to make preparing school lunches a breeze. The lunchboxes, silicone muffin liners and condiment cups can all be purchased from Amazon.
Feel free to mix and match or swap out any of the fruits and snacks to suit your tastes.
1. DIY Tortillas (Gluten free, Nut free, substitutions provided for dairy free)
- corn tortilla chips
- shredded cheese (use vegan cheese or leave out for dairy-free version)
- turkey
- cheese, cut into circles OR string cheese (I used cheddar – use vegan cheese or leave out for dairy-free version)
- fresh fruit – pictured above: peach slices, watermelon chunks, blueberries and blackberries
2. Turkey and Cheese Roll-ups
- turkey slices, swiss and cheddar cheese slices
- raw almonds (leave out for nut free version)
- raw veggies: celery, grape tomatoes, cauliflower and zucchini
- multigrain crackers with sunbutter
- apple slices
- grapes
3. DIY Lunchables (Nut free, dairy free, substitutions provided for gluten free)
- pita or tortilla triangles (use wholewheat or gluten free tortillas as needed)
- plantain chips
- zucchini or cucumber
- turkey OR your favorite deli meat
- apple slices
- wholegrain mini crackers (use gluten free crackers or leave out as needed)
- hummus (OR cream cheese if not dairy-free)
- fresh berries – (Pictured above: strawberries, blueberries and blackberries)
- pumpkin seeds and cranberries
4. Healthier Egg “Salad” Sandwich – (Nut free, substitutions provided for gluten free)
- Avocado egg salad – scrambled eggs mixed with avocado, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper with multigrain bread or wholewheat bread (use gluten free as needed) – cut into bite-sized portions (mini grilled cheese sandwiches would also be another great option if you’re not dairy free)
- cooked corn on the cob
- raw vegetables – sugar snap peas, grape tomatoes, shredded carrots (baby carrots), canned chickpeas
- homemade Greek yogurt ranch dip
- fruit – cubed watermelon (or a homemade fruit leather)
5. DIY Pizza (Nut free, substitutions provided for dairy free and gluten free)
- tortillas – swap for gluten free as needed
- turkey pepperoni slices
- pizza sauce or salsa
- shredded cheese, grape tomatoes
- raw vegetables – grape tomatoes, chopped cucumber or zucchini, shredded carrots
- fresh fruit: cubed watermelon, grapes
6. Smashed Chickpea Sandwich (Dairy Free, Nut-free and substitutions for gluten free)
- Smashed Chickpea Sandwich – with multigrain bread (use gluten free as needed) – cut into bite-sized portions – fill with smashed chickpeas, smashed avocado, salt & pepper, kale (or lettuce)
- fresh fruit – peach slices, blackberries, chopped watermelon
- raw vegetables – zucchini, cucumber and / or celery
- banana
- hummus with sugar or snap peas and multigrain crackers (leave out or use gluten free as needed)
7. Taco Salad (Gluten free)
- freeze-dried strawberries and blueberries
- plantain chips
- Cranberry Energy Bites OR you can make your own trail mix
- Taco Salad – lettuce, black beans, sliced tomatoes and shredded cheese (can leave cheese out for dairy free version)
- unsweetened apple sauce
- grapes
8. Healthier Egg “Salad” Sandwich – (Nut free, substitutions provided for gluten free)
- Avocado egg salad – scrambled eggs mixed with avocado, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper with multigrain bread or wholewheat bread (use gluten free as needed) – cut into bite-sized portions (mini grilled cheese sandwiches would also be another great option if you’re not dairy free)
- cooked corn on the cob
- pumpkin seeds and cranberries
- apple slices with Greek yogurt
- fresh berries – (Pictured above: strawberries, blueberries and blackberries)
9. Tuna Salad – (Nut free, low carb, sugar free, gluten free, Whole30, keto, Paleo, dairy-free)
- tuna salad – tuna mixed with Whole30 mayo + salt + pepper + chopped celery
- avocado slices + Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel Seasoning, cherry tomatoes + sliced cucumbers + broccoli
- spiralized zucchini + marinara sauce
- pumpkin seeds + sunflower seeds + unsweetened organic coconut flakes
10. Turkey – (Low carb, sugar free, gluten free, Whole30, keto, Paleo, dairy-free)
- Trader Joe’s nitrate free turkey slices
- guacamole + celery + broccoli + Applegate Turkey Pepperoni + cherry tomatoes
- egg muffins
- pecans + macadamia nuts
11. Egg Muffins – (Low carb, sugar free, gluten free, Whole30, keto, Paleo, dairy-free)
- breakfast egg muffins
- Primal Kitchen ranch + celery + broccoli + cucumber + zucchini + cherry tomatoes
- olives + sun-dried tomatoes
- strawberries + blueberries
12. Vegetable Guacamole – (Nut-free, low carb, sugar free, gluten free, Whole30, keto, Paleo, dairy-free)
- guacamole + celery + broccoli + cucumber + cherry tomatoes
- spiralized zucchini + smoked salmon
- hard-boiled eggs
13. Chicken Salad – (Low carb, sugar free, gluten free, keto, Paleo, dairy-free)
- chicken salad – cooked chicken mixed with Whole30 mayo + salt + pepper + chopped celery + sliced almonds + pecans + in Outer Aisle Cauliflower Sandwich Thins (paleo / keto)
- cucumber + cherry tomatoes
- raspberries + dried blueberries + shredded coconut
- almond butter OR sunbutter
FOR MORE SCHOOL LUNCH IDEAS, BE SURE TO ALSO CHECK OUT THESE SCHOOL LUNCH POSTS:
Healthy School Lunches for the New Year
5 Easy Bento Box Lunches for Fall
12 School Lunch Ideas that are healthy, kid-friendly and perfect for picky eaters. Tons of ideas for nut-free, dairy-free, sugar free, Whole30, paleo, low carb, keto and gluten free options. Lots of options for no cooking, no heating or microwave needed!
- Mains:
- Sandwiches: Egg tuna or chicken salad, turkey
- Smashed chickpea and avocado sandwiches
- DIY Pizza: Tortilla chips cheese, grape tomatoes
- Turkey and cheese rollups
- Ham or turkey hummus pitas
- Taco Salad: black beans cheese, salsa
- Veggies:
- Cucumber zucchini with hummus or homemade ranch Greek yogurt dip
- Broccoli cauliflower, snap peas with hummus or dip
- Grape or cherry tomatoes with hummus or dip
- Carrots with hummus or dip
- Roasted chickpeas
- Fruits:
- Bananas
- Apple
- Berries
- Peach
- Grapes
- Freeze-dried fruit
- Applesauce
- Snacks:
- Crackers
- Cheese
- Yogurt
- Energy bites
- Pumpkin Seeds or other seeds
- Raw Nuts check school policy or if there are any allergies
- Dried cranberries or other fruit
- Seed or Nut butter check school policy or if there are any allergies
- Include a variety of ingredients from each category and divide into lunchboxes.
More lunch round ups
Healthy School Lunches for the New Year
5 Easy Bento Box Lunches for Fall
Healthier Than Takeout Meal Prep
Did you try this recipe?
Caroline -
So many lovely options- I can’t wait to make some of these. Thank you!